Flying in the face of common sense, newly elected Congressman Shelley Sekula-Gibbs promised to make a difference during her very, very brief time replacing Tom DeLay in Washington. Many scoffed at her, but it didn't take long for the Real Shelley to shine.

Today started with a front-page Washington Post article that didn't at all make fun of her grandiose statements, or at least not too much. Well, a lot really. But still — did Nick Lampson get the Post front page?

And then the Capitol Hill newspaper Roll Callreported that there'd been a snag with Sekula Gibbs' plans to use DeLay's old staff, mostly that DeLay's old staff quit en masse rather than deal with the uniquely scatterbrained Sekula-Gibbs. The Roll Call story requires a subscription, but Wonkette doesn't.

She is making waves! That's our Shelley!

Next week, by the way, brings the annual Houston Press Turkeys of the Year awards. We're not giving anything away, but let's just say Shelley's string of positive press isn't about to end soon. -- Richard Connelly